Flue cleaning implement with blade flexibly connected to shaft



Oct. 11, 1949. J. E. BOWER 'FLUE CLEANING IMPLEMENT WITH'BLADE FLEXIBLYCONNECTED TO SHAFT Filed June 6, 1946 INYENTOR TTORNEY Patented Get. 11,1949 FLUE CLEANING IMPLEMENT WITH BLADE FLEXIBLY CONNECTED TO SHAFTJoseph E. Bower, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application J une 6, 1946, Serial No. 674,893

This invention relates to improvements in cleaning implements, and moreparticularly to hoe-like implements for cleaning soot and ashes out ofthe flues of furnaces.

An object of the invention is to provide a sim ple inexpensive cleaningimplement for pipes, fines and the like, having a blade insertable inone position substantially parallel to the pipe surface and withdrawablein a position transverse to the pipe axis.

A further object is to provide such an implement in which the blade iscontrollable solely by manipulation of the simple rigid shaft.

Another object is to provide an improved coupling between an element anda spring.

The present invention results in an implement far more effective andeasily manipulated than previously known devices of its kind and at thesame time simple, inexpensive and durable in construction.

The above and still further objects and advantages may be carried intopractical effect as described hereinbelow, with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which: I

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a typical furnace flue showing animplement according to the present invention in operative position;

Fig 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the blade end ofan implement according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows the structure of Fig. 2 with the blade flexed into positionfor insertion in a flue;

Fig. 4 shows a modified blade form;

Fig. 5 shows a cross section of a pipe and end views of the cleaningimplement in position for insertion (a) and in operative position in thepipe (b) as shown in solid and chain lines, respectively.

Like reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, a substantiallyrigid manipulating shaft l is provided at one end with a handle 2 ofsuitable known type. The shaft 1 may be sultably curved for mosteffective use in curved ducts and flues of the type shown in Fig. 1.

A short coil spring 3 is rigidly secured at one end to the extreme endof shaft I, forming a universall flexible resilient coupling element.The

end of the shaft l is preferably taper threaded for this purpose, or ifdesirable, the spring 3 may be spot Welded or otherwise securelyattached by known methods.

A rigid fiat blade 4, preferably a disk-like plate of any suitable,durable material, is secured by i 6 Claims. ((115-242) suitable means,such as screw 6, to the free end of the flexible tip 3 of shaft l, a fewturns of spring 3 being left free between the blade and shaftfastenings.

A collar 1 which may be attached to disk 4 as by welding, or formedintegrally therewith, has an internal diameter equal to, or smallerthan, the outside diameter of the spring or tip 3, and is provided torestrict expansion of the spring when screw 6 is inserted, making asolid connection. Preferably the collar 1 is provided with a smallinternal flange 'l' which is engaged between the end of spring 3 and thedisk 4, the collar 1, when so formed, is separable from disk 4 and isclamped in place by screw 6 and spring 3 in assembly.

As shown in Fig. 4, the blade 4 may be a simple stamped disk of sheetmetal peripherally flanged as at 8 for strength and for other reasonsmore fully set forth hereinbelow. V It will be readily apparent thatother known forms of functionally equivalent flexible resilient couplingelements ma be substituted for the coil spring 3 shown in the drawing.

The advantages of the present invention will be clearly apparent fromthe following description of its operation:

The implement of the invention is illustrated, in Figs. 1 and 5 (a andb) of the drawing, in typical positions employed for cleaning a curvedfurnace flue. Straight ducts may also be cleaned with implementsembodying the invention, such implements may have less curved (orstraight) shafts if to be used for very long straight ducts.

The implement is inserted in the cleanout opening 9 of a furnace flue IDby pressing the disk-like blade laterally against the top, or side, ofthe inner surface of the flue and thrusting same into the flue whilemaintaining lateral pressure on shaft I. The pressure on one edge of theblade 4 causes the coupling member 3 to flex through an angle of aboutabout a short radius which should be less than the radius of disk 4 asshown in Fig. 3. The disk 4 will readily assume a position substantiallyparallel to the flue wall and shaft end, and may be easily slid alongthe flue without substantially disturbing the accumulation of ashes andsoot in the flue. The blade is shown being inserted at a in Fig. 5.

When the disk 4 has been inserted as far as possible in the flue theoperator ceases to maintain lateral pressure on the shaft I, andresilient coupling 3 will cause disk 4 to assume its normal positionsubstantially at right angles to the shaft end, and transverse to theflue axis.

The implement is then withdrawn, the blade 4 resting on the flue bottomand drawing the accumulated ashes and soot out of the cleanout opening.The implement is shown at b in Fig. 5, in position for withdrawal inoperative relation to the flue.

It will be apparent that the universal flexibility of the blade 4 withrelation to the shaft end is a distinct advantage in. insertion of theimple-' ment, for a'blade nearly. as large as theflue opening can bereadily inserted without pushing ashes away from the cleanout. animplement into a curved flue it .is oft en necese Moreover, ininserting:

sary to rotate the shaft somewhat;.an.foperationz'.

which is facilitated in the presentdevi'ce by the universal flexibilityof the blade.

Use of a blade formed as shown. in Fig, 4. is. advantageous not onlybecause lovrin cost; but for the reason that, in operation, theflan'ggeddiskii It is claimedand desired .to secure. b ll Letters.

Patent; I

1. Ina-fluecleaning hoe; .a substantially. rigid manipulatingshaft; auniversallyflexible resil= ient...couplin'g. at one endthereof andextending f therebeyond; and a' substantially rigidflatdi'sk elementsecured to said .coupling,,saidblade being normally. carried .at' rightangles to said. end ,of. said shaft, andsaid couplingbeingnniversallyflexible throughout a length .notgreaterthanthe radius of said .disk topermit saiddiskto assume apositionparallelto saidshaftend,

2. In a :flue hoe: .an elongated, curved, substantially rigid,'manipulatingshaft; a .coil spring secured .to one -end.of.. said.-shaftv and projecting a fewturns beyond the shaft. end; and-a disk-like;blade element secured to the. projecting-endofi saidspring. p

3.. A- flue hoe. comprising, a substantially rigid shaft, a .flexible.resilient helical coil. spring elee ment. securedrat' one. end. to.oneend of said shaft in coaxial. shaft. surrounding relation and prosjecting. a few. turns. beyond said end .of-saidshaft, a substantiallyrigid disk-like blade element, and means securingsaid. blade; element.to the extending'endof said spring elementl at substantially rightangles to thelongitudi-nal axis of ,saidspringl elementand.at.a:distancefrom said.,0ne end of 4 said shaft not greater than the radius of saiddisk-like blade element.

4. A flue cleaning implement comprising, a substantially rigid curvedshaft, a flexible resilient coil spring couplin element rigidly securedat one end to and projecting a few turns beyond one end of said shaft, asubstantially rigid blade element, and a relatively rigid fasteningconnecting said bladerelement with :the extending end of said coupling:element. at: substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of saidcoupling element.

I 5. Ina flue hoe: an elongated, substantially rigid;, ;manip ulatingshaft; a normally straight universally flexible resilient tip rigidlysecured at onemndtuone end of said shaft and projecting a. shortdistance beyond said shaft end and a rigid disk-like' blade' elementsecured to the projecting end of said universally flexible resilient tipat a distance from said 811417101 said shaft not greater thanthe radiusof said disk.

621A flue hoe comprising: an elongated sub.- stantially rigidmanipulating shaft; a universally, flexible resilient spring elementrigidly'secured'at one end.to one end of :said shaft and projecting ashort distance from said endof saidsl'iaft; a substantially rigiddisk-like blade element. and means rigidly securing said bladeelement'to-the extending end of saidspring element'at substantiallyright angles to'the longitudinal axis of said spring element and at adistance frompsaidone end of saidshaft notgreater thanthera-diuspf saiddisk the. said spring element-being ofjsu'cli form dimensions andmaterial characteristics, as to be manually flexiblejbetweensaid shaftend and said blade element, through an arc" of at least ninety degrees,without permanent set:

J OSEPH E. BOWER.

REFERENCES CIT ED The follow-ingmeferencesareotrecord inrthefile-,of-this patent: V

UNITED STATES- PATENTS v Gilligan- Oct. 31, 1944

